“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!…”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭19‬-‭23 NIV‬‬

Jesus said, according to Luke, that people are full of darkness when they judge others for their sin but fail to see how sinful they are. Just like Jonah…who hated the Ninevites for their wickedness but forgot about God’s mercy…

However, in Matthew’s gospel, he included Jesus’ teaching about the eye of light in His “Sermon on the Mount” discourse. 

According to Matthew, Jesus said that the way we view our money will reveal whom we really love. If we see our money as a servant, we will love God and use money to serve Him. If we love money, we will use God to serve money. 

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, Matthew’s version of Jesus’ judgment on the Pharisees’ attitude to money was…they used their “generosity” to parade their righteousness. 

“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus said, ”Use your money to show that you love God.” 

“But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Both of these examples help us understand how vital it is to evaluate what is important to us in life through the lens of truth.  Luke says that we can judge others by our own standard of righteousness, seeing ourselves as not guilty and better than others. Matthew says that we can see our money as our master and serve it by being hoarding it or we can serve God by using money to serve others. 

There is a way to keep our wealth safe by storing it in the “bank of heaven” where it cannot erode or be corrupted…that is, by using it to serve others. This may seem foolish and contradictory. How can we grow our wealth giving it away? 

As always, life in God’s kingdom involves a partnership with God in faith and obedience. We need faith, to accept that what God says is true and obedience to act on it even if it seems foolish. God’s ways are not our ways. His economic system is based on His own character of generosity… “righteousness” in Hebrew…doing the right thing in every situation. 

So, even King David could say…

“The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously…I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. They are always generous and lend freely; their children will be a blessing.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭21‬, ‭25‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

With a perspective that sees need rather than greed, the eyes of the heart can see farther, wider, and deeper…and can share God’s heart for those who suffer regardless of who they are. The system of God’s kingdom is simple…if you meet a need when you have a need, God’s provision flows to you to fill the gap. It’s called “currency”. 

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭

To b continued…